On Christmasday
by Candylovin Fehrian
Summary: He will return for them, but when will that be? A Dukes Christmas story.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N With this I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. I'm looking forward to a year with even more fantastic writing! ;-)  
Enjoy!**_

**On Christmas day**

1

"I told ya I don't wanna do it uncle Jesse!" Bo Duke all but yelled at the grey haired man standing besides the kitchen table.

"Bo," the older man sighed softly, knowing how his youngest was suffering right now.

Putting his head on the table Bo looked as miserable as he felt, and Jesse suddenly didn't know what to say.

In fact, he almost wanted to do the same as Bo. Just sit down and stop trying. But Jesse Duke knew he couldn't do that. He had to make sure his family didn't fall apart…

Looking out the window, he could see his eldest charge sitting on the front porch. With his crew cut, hunched shoulders and lowered head, he didn't look like the high spirited boy that had waved at his family standing at the bus-stop, almost four years ago.

It should have been a joyful time…

Almost three months ago they had gotten the devastating letter, declaring Luke officially MIA.

For two long months, the Duke family had kept their hopes, pulling each other through the grief they were al experiencing.

And then, on Thanksgiving-morning, a lone figure had stood in their living-room, looking lost and forlorn as he stood next to his green duffel bag.

The next second though, he had practically been tackled by his cousins, who had never expected to see him again.

Jesse had just stood there, watching his nephew in his army greens, looking almost surreal in their small but warm living-room. A single tear had made its way down Luke's cheek, while his cousins were hugging him and asking him questions a mile a minute.

But then, he had smiled, and Jesse decided to forget the look of pain and fear he had seen only seconds ago.

The first few days that Luke had been back, were wonderful. They all enjoyed each others company, as Luke told stories about some of the pranks he and his buddies pulled in the Marines while Bo and Daisy told him stories about the things he had missed in Hazzard.

But after the first week, things had changed. Luke had become more silent, only talking when someone asked him something. He often went on long walks, not wanting anyone to accompany him, not even Bo.

The youngest Duke had offered to come with him, only to receive a curt "No" from his cousin. The lost puppy-look in Bo's eyes almost made Jesse jump in and tell Luke that he should take him with him, but somehow, he knew Luke needed the time alone.

For hours the eldest Dukes would be wandering around Hazzard, coming home so exhausted that he immediately fell asleep when his head hit his pillow.

His nights weren't long though. Jesse could hear the muffled dream-talking through the thin walls of the small farm. Sometimes, it was mumbling, other times it was a full blown scream that caused Jesse to sit up straight in bed with the hair on his arms standing up.

Usually, he could hear Bo's soothing voice, seconds after such an episode, calming his cousin enough so that he would lay back down again.

There were times when Luke wouldn't be able to sleep again. Times when Jesse heard the stumbling in the living-room, as his eldest charge poured himself a glass of milk before going outside so that he could sit on the front-porch.

A month after his return home, Luke had started spending his nights in the Boars-nest, probably aching to forget the memories that were haunting him.  
Yet, these nights weren't filled with the usual laughter, banter with his cousin, a few beers and a pretty girl.

No, Luke Duke spent his nights sitting at a table in the corner of the room, ignoring everyone around him, downing one beer after another.

Jesse couldn't count the times when he had heard the boy stumbling through the front door, sometimes alone, sometimes with the help of his never judging cousin. When he had found his bed, he probably fell into a dreamless sleep. But when he woke up, Jesse could almost see the lines in his face getting deeper as he sat down at the breakfast-table.

The day that Jesse had sat his eldest nephew down for a long overdue forced talk, was the day that Luke had blown up at Bo when the boy had accidentally dropped a bucket in the barn, making Luke duck for cover in the hay bale next to him.

Luke had torn into Bo as if he was a recruit who had to be taught a lesson, and Jesse had been just in time to stop the two from jumping each other.

After Jesse's reprimand, Bo had been ready to apologize to his wayward cousin, but Luke had just turned around and walked away, obviously lost in thoughts.

An hour later, he had wandered back onto the farm, straight into the waiting Jesse Duke, who was about ready to shake his boy back to sanity.

Another hour later though, Jesse had walked inside, never having felt so frustrated before. Luke had completely ignored him, only mumbling apologies for his behaviour for the past few weeks. The only thing close to opening up to his uncle was his explanation of his behaviour. He had admitted to having some troubles adjusting, but had refused all help his uncle was offering. He wanted to do this himself.

And with that, he had stood up from the steps they had been sitting on, only to go inside and shut the door firmly. In many different ways…

That was five days ago. And now, on the day before Christmas Eve, things weren't looking any better.

Bo had been sulking for days now, especially with Christmas coming soon. And Daisy, she was just going through the motions, not even noticing her cookies were slightly burnt as she pulled them out of the oven.

"I'm not gonna do it, Uncle Jesse…"

Sitting down next to his youngest charge, Jesse only put a hand on Bo's sagged shoulder as he noticed Daisy sitting down too.

"Look, I know it's been hard these few months, but y'all gotta count our blessings here. He's here, with us. An' as long as he's here, we can help him get back to us…"

"But that's just it," Bo mumbled, "He ain't really here. It's like he's still back there, instead of bein' happy that he's home with us…"

Jesse was amazed at Bo's keen observation. Even if he didn't want to believe it, it was true. Luke wasn't really here. He seemed to be trapped in the place where he had just come home from. And nobody seemed to get through to him.

"Well, we just have ta try a little harder getting him back now, right?"

Two slow, but unenthusiastic, nods were made as three heads looked out of the window only to see Luke's form gone from the steps he had been sitting on.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N Okay, I'm not gonna be able to post this entire story before the Holidays, but I've come a long way, right? There will be only be one chapter coming after this, so we're almost there! Happy Holidays everybody!**_

2

Sitting on the steps of his childhood home, Luke Duke had never felt any more out of place.

Thinking back to the past month, he knew he was alienating himself from his family. But it was all he could do…

Four years of marine-training, with two years of fighting in a war he wasn't even sure he approved of, had not prepared him for the hardships he had endured in the POW camp.

Seven weeks of his life… Forty-eight days surviving in pure hell was not something you where taught in training. And it was not something you ever forgot.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the foul images of bamboo sticks poking and prodding. Blood staining everything that came into view as the empty eyes of men he had served with looked up at the misty skies.

And if that wasn't enough, their screams filled his haunting nights. Pain-filled screams, begging him to help them, or release them from their suffering. Angered screams, unintelligible, as they demanded things from him that he didn't want to give up, couldn't give up.

Whoever Luke Duke was, he was no traitor. He would die protecting his unit, and after forty days, the VC had figured that out.

They had left him to die, in a small cage in the middle of the jungle, leaving him there as he heard the shots effectively making an end to the lives of his fellow soldiers.

That had been the price for his silence…

Lucky for him, Dukes were born survivors. He had lived on the rainwater falling down, and the occasional bug or rat crawling over him.

But right now, Luke didn't feel lucky. He almost wished he had been left there to die, instead of coming back to his family a broken man.

He knew that he wasn't the same anymore, and seeing his cousins all grown up, but not really changed, pained him every time he looked at them.

So he chose to take long walks, everything to avoid seeing or talking to his family. He could see their concern, but somehow, his mind didn't want to acknowledge it.

Sleep-deprivation made him feel on edge the entire time, causing him to snap at people whenever they made loud noises that scared him senseless.

When Bo had dropped the bucket in the barn, his mind had conjured up two VC's throwing their weekly water-supplies at them, always trying to hit them in the head as hard as possible.

He had freaked out…

And now he was sitting here again, like he did so many times these days. Searching the peace and silence that came with the nightfall as the day of Christmas Eve approached rapidly.

Thinking about celebrating Christmas made him feel physically ill…

The only thing he could think of right now, was how miserable he was, and how miserable he made his family by ignoring them. The talk he had with his uncle a few days ago only showed him how his own misery was being transferred to the people around him.

Right now, he couldn't see a way to deal with it. The only logical thing he could think of, was leaving… If he was miserable alone, he could at least give his family some peace. It was a sacrifice he was willing to take.

Standing up slowly, Luke Duke didn't think of clothes, or other things necessary to survive, he just started walking…

He walked away from the family he was making miserable and unhappy, he walked away from the people he would yell at when they startled them or even tried to talk to them, he walked away from everything, including himself…

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Lying awake in his bed, Bo had never felt so alone. Looking over at the empty bed next to him, he was slightly worried about his missing cousin.

Even though he knew that Luke was most likely in the Boars Nest, drinking his sorrows away, or walking down Hazzard's empty roads to clear his mind, he was still worried.

What if one night, his cousin decided not to come back anymore?

Berating himself silently, Bo tried to switch his thoughts to other things. But like always, that didn't work. All he could think of was how his cousin didn't seem like his cousin anymore.

He knew about the time Luke had spent in the POW-camp, and he definitely knew that it had to have been real bad. The stories he had heard about those camps had made him want to vomit. And seeing how Luke had terrible nightmares where he would scream in a language Bo didn't understand, he knew those things had really happened to Luke.

The boy would talk in his sleep, begging some imaginary fellow soldier to hang on. Other days he would just scream out in pain and fear, sweat dripping down his head and body.

The first time Bo had tried to wake his cousin, he had been on the receiving end of a well placed punch, which made him cradle his painful jaw with shock etched on his face. The moment Luke woke up, however, he acted like nothing happened, knowing that his cousin would feel terribly guilty if he knew what he had done in the throes of sleep.

During the nights that followed, Bo made sure he eased Luke awake after a nightmare, most of the time calming him down enough to go to sleep again. But just as many times, the bed next to him would end up empty because Luke was roaming the house or Hazzard's roads and woods.

Turning on his side, his eyes caught the wrapped box standing in the corner of the room. He had gotten Luke's present even before they knew that he was coming home for good. Somehow, it seemed right to buy it when they weren't sure he was ever coming home. But now…

Bo wasn't sure he would want to give it right now. The way Luke was shutting himself off from everyone around him, ignoring them or even yelling at them, it just wasn't him.

Still, he was going to take his uncle's advice and try to help his wayward cousin, starting first thing tomorrow-morning.

Christmas Eve-day wasn't a day of miracles for nothing, right?

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

_Next morning_

"Uncle Jesse, he's gone!"

Jesse looked up from his work in the kitchen while Bo came running into the living room.

Coming to a stop in front of his cousin, while Daisy came in the room towel-drying her hair, Bo took a deep breath.

"His bed hasn't been slept in Uncle Jesse, he never came home!"

Looking outside, where he knew Luke wouldn't be, cause he would have spotted him during the morning chores, Jesse frowned.

"Are ya sure? Maybe he stayed at Cooters… I'll give him a call right away," Jesse murmured, worry settling firmly in his stomach.

Daisy stood next to Bo, worry in her eyes as she looked at Bo's rigid frame. This was what she had been afraid for, ever since Luke had come back home. That he would leave them again… But now, it seemed like he had left out of his own free will. And that was something she wouldn't be able to forgive him for…

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

_Somewhere in Hazzards woods_

The cold hit him like a ton of bricks…

Splashing with his arms and legs, Luke cursed himself for not noticing the little creek sooner. If he had just watched where he was going, instead of walking through the woods with his head on other things, he would have been more careful with placing his feet.

As a result he had stumbled down the little hill, landing in the icy water beneath, which was now soaking him thoroughly.

"Crap…" he cursed loudly, not caring who could hear him.

"H- hello?"

The tiny voice cut right through him as he stopped hitting the water in anger to listen where the uneven voice was coming from.

"Who's there?"

Luke called, almost not expecting an answer.

"I'm h-here…" the small voice called back.

By now, Luke had climbed out of the water, shivering as the cool air hit his wet body. Turning towards the trees where the sound seemed to be originating from, he looked around, careful not to miss any snipers.

Snipers? In Hazzard? His mind was really leaving him if he thought there were snipers in Hazzard…

'But they can be anywhere…'

Shaking his head he concentrated on the voice still calling him,

"Hello??"

Noticing the small but deep ditch, a few yards away from him, Luke carefully peered over, shocked at the sight before him.

A small girl, no more then six years old sat there, shivering as the cold air hit her bare feet and legs, as she huddled under the too tiny coat she was wearing.

She looked up at him with bright blue eyes, filled with crystal-like tears, her lip quivering as she shivered and cried at the same time.

"A- are you an a- angel?"

Luke almost snorted at that, he was far from it… If anything, he was tainted…

Looking down, he figured he could easily lift her out if he slid down, just a little.

"Just wait honey, I'll get ya outta there in a minute."

Lying down on the ground, dirt changing into mud on his wet clothes, he reached down and gently put two hands underneath the little girls arms.

The exertion almost proved to be too much to his still healing muscles, but with one last grunt, he pulled the little girl out of the deep ditch.

They both lay on the ground for a few minutes, Luke panting because of the pain in his muscles, and the little girl just lying there staring at him with wide eyes.

After ten minutes, Luke looked up, the pain had lessened, and only the cold in his bones remained. Huge blue eyes, now without tears but filled with wonder, were staring at him intently.

"You sure y-you ain't an angel?" the girl asked again, still shivering a little.

Chuckling for the first time in what seemed like years, Luke stood up slowly, lifting the girl in his arms before sitting her down on a tree stump next to him. His clothes were still wet, and he didn't want the girl to get any colder. With her bare feet and legs, she was bound to catch pneumonia anyway.

"What's yur name sweetie?" Luke asked, trying not to shiver that much, so not to scare the girl any more than she already was.

"I'm Jennifer Lily Mills, but my mommy calls me Jenny," she stated bravely, reaching out her hand towards Luke.

"Well hi Jenny, my name is Luke Duke," Luke answered shaking the girl's hand as she giggled.

"Luke Duke? That's a funny name," she uttered in her girly giggles.

"Ya think so huh?" Luke asked, already used to people responding strangely to his name.

"Yur mommy call you that?" the girl asked, now only smiling at him.

"Well, my mom called me Lukas, but everyone liked Luke better," he answered softly, memories of his parents passing by for a few moments.

The little girl seemed to think deeply for a few seconds before replying.

"I like Lukas, can I call ya that?" she asked him shyly.

Surprised, Luke nodded slowly, little drops of water falling down his nose, reminding him how cold he was, and how cold Jenny must be.

"We should probably get ya out of this cold. Where do ya live?" he asked, not recognizing the name Mills as a name from around here.

She looked at him for a minute before replying.

"Close by… I'll take ya,"

Taking his large hand into her little one, she led Luke through the trees of Hazzard woods. Luke knew that there weren't any houses here, so he was curious as to where she was leading him.

A few minutes turned to an hour, and still she was leading him through the tall trees around them. Her little mouth moved a mile a minute, telling him her mommy was all alone with her, since her daddy died last year in the war. Before Luke could even wrap his thoughts around that, she told him how she had been playing here a few days ago, following a squirrel when she wasn't looking where she was going and fell into the deep ditch.

She almost stumbled when she tried to step over a large branch lying on the ground, but Luke scooped her up and lifted her over it with ease.

"Thanks mister Lukas," she said looking up at him again with trust in her big blue eyes, before she took his hand again so she could lead him over the narrow path they were following.

Somehow, this little adventure he was on, made him forget the reasons he was out here. Looking at the blonde haired little person marching before him, he was in awe of her strength. She had obviously been sitting in that ditch for a while, but somehow, she bounced back almost immediately.

They had been walking for two hours now, the sun was high up in the sky, but did a little job warming them. Luke was almost asking her if they were there yet, when from out of nowhere a little shack seemed to appear.

"We're almost there!" Jenny squealed, almost running the final feet.

Luke looked up at the small cabin, and wondered why he had never seen it before. It was close to the fishing hole where him and Bo used to fish when they were little.

The girl threw open the cracked door so hard it all but slammed at the wall next to it.

"Mommy! I'm back! Mommy!"

Stepping inside after her, Luke was shocked at the sight he witnessed. The tiny shack was as good as empty, no furniture standing there save for a few broken chairs and a three-legged table. Dust covered every possible spot he could see and the spider webs hanging in his hair proved that there hasn't been anybody in here for a while.

In the meantime, Jenny was searching all the rooms, still calling for her mom, who obviously wasn't here.

"Jenny?" Luke asked, not knowing what to say to the fragile looking little girl.

"Where's my mommy?" she asked as she came to stand in front of him, looking with those trust filled eyes again.

Luke got down on his knees so he could look her in the eyes without looking down.

"I ain't sure sweetie. You sure this is the place? It looks like nobody's been here in years…"

She stubbornly shook her head, causing her blonde hair to flop into her face.

"Uh-uh, we've been here…" she said, suddenly sounding a little unsure, "But everything's different now… My bed's gone…"

Putting a large and on her tiny shoulder, Luke didn't know what to say or do.

"Mommy?" Jenny called one last time, receiving only silence.

Standing up, Luke knew he had to take some action.

"Let's see if there's something we could make a fire with, huh? Warm us up a little, and then we'll go look for yur mommy, okay?"

Jenny nodded as she sat down on one of the wobbly chairs, letting her feet dangle in the space beneath her.

Five minutes later, Luke had a small fire burning and his shirt and jacket drying, while him and Jenny were sitting in front of the fire, slowly getting a little warmer again.

Jenny was silent as she looked at the flames in front of her, and as Luke looked over at her silhouette, he noticed big tears falling down her rosy cheeks.

"Hey now, it's gonna be awright, we'll find yur mom real soon, I promise," he said, patting her head awkwardly.

Turning towards him, Luke was surprised when she threw herself at him, crying big and wet tears while she clung to him as if he was her last hope.

Her grief covered him like a blanket, and his own pain surfaced as he thought about their similarities.

Both of them had lost something important to them, they had no one they could turn to in this world, who understood them.

A single tear ran over his cheek as he continued soothing the little girl in his arms, who was slowly falling asleep. Luke's own eyes felt heavy too as he settle the two of them down in a comfortable position before falling asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N The final chapter... A little after Christmas, but I hope this story helps y'all to hold on to that Christmas-spirit a little longer... ;-)  
Hope you've had a wonderful Christmas, and have a very happy Newyear!**_

On to the conclusion of this story, and thank you for all the wonderful comments! Enjoy.

3

"What if he don't wanna be found?" Bo Duke asked himself as he drove Jesse's truck through the back roads of Hazzard.

"Bo…" his uncle's voice sounded through the CB all of a sudden, making him wonder if his uncle had heard him.

"I'm here uncle Jesse, you found him yet?" he asked, hope in his voice.

"No, me an' Daisy just got back from town and nobody saw him there, not even in the Boars Nest." His uncle sounded defeated.

"I'm at Ridgeroad now, but I haven't even seen a clue that he's been here. I'm gonna-,"HAa Bo started, only to be cut off by his uncle on the other end of the CB.

"Bo, just come on home son. It's gettin' late and we don't want ya getting lost on Christmas eve…"

"But uncle Jesse, he's out here all alone…" Bo tried, knowing deep inside, that was what his cousin wanted.

"He'll come back when he can Bo, now we'll see ya in an hour, over and out," Jesse ended almost curtly.

Putting back the CB, Bo knew his uncle was worried, but also a little angry at Luke for disappearing like that.

Angry was what Bo wanted to feel, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't be angry at Luke. He only felt sadness at Luke's inability to settle back into his life at the farm.

Somehow, Bo couldn't imagine not feeling at home at the old farm, but what did he know? He had never been away from home for more than two weeks. How would he feel if he had been gone for almost four years? If he had lived in the jungle, everyday a struggle to survive, a struggle to get home one day…

Steering the car onto the Duke property Bo could only hope Luke would be able to let those feelings slide off of him, so he could find himself and become the person he used to be. No… Not the person he used to be, but at least someone who resembled him.

Getting inside the warm house he settled himself on the couch, next to Daisy and his uncle, as the family sought comfort with each other on what was supposed to be a special night. Bo's thoughts kept wandering however.

Thinking of the Luke he had seen the past month, Bo only felt sadness. Luke wasn't happy to be home. He seemed to miss something essential. And Bo prayed to god that he would find that on this cold Christmas Eve…

Finally, at one in the morning, everyone settled in an uncomfortable sleep. All worrying over the one missing right now, and all praying that Luke Duke would find what he was looking for, so he would be home for Christmas…

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The cool morning air hit him first, telling him that during the night, the fire had gone out. The warm little body lying next to him was breathing in and out softly.

Shifting a little, Luke opened his eyes, looking around the little house again, he didn't know what he saw.

The broken table was whole again, a nice table cloth covering it as four chairs stood around it.

No more dust covered the floor and furniture, and a few pictures hung on the once empty walls. But the most important thing he noticed, was the sound of soft sobs coming from the other room.

"Jenny?" he asked, nudging the little girl still sleeping besides him.

The little girl slowly opened her eyes, rubbing them a little as she looked at him with sleepy eyes.

"Mister Lukas? Is it Christmas?" she asked in her childlike innocence.

Looking around him, a smile started to form on Luke's lips, starting small, but growing with every second.

"Yeah sweetie, I think it is…"

Seeing him looking around the house, Jenny stood slowly as she twirled around, finally seeing the house and the change it had undergone during the night.

"My house… It's back…" she paused for a second before it really registered in her mind and, looking at Luke with huge eyes filled with joy, she called for the one person she wanted, "Mommy!!"

"Jenny?" came a voice from the other room.

"Jenny?" the voice got higher as tears filled it.

Suddenly a slender woman of about thirty came bounding out of the single bedroom, tears streaming from her pretty face as she spotted her daughter and scooped her up in the biggest hug.

Standing in the middle of the room, bare-chested, Luke suddenly felt self-conscious.

The two people hugging each other suddenly pulled away, as Jenny's mom took a look at her daughter.

"I have been looking for ya for days, where have ya been? I was so worried!" she blurted out, not noticing the stranger standing in the middle of the room, as she was solely focused on her little girl standing before her.

"I fell in a hole mommy. An' I was real scared, but then mister Lukas came and he got me out. Then I showed him where we lived, but there weren't nobody home, and then we fell asleep, and now yur here!" she babbled almost in one breath.

"Mister Lukas?" the woman questioned as she finally seemed to notice Luke standing in the middle of her living-room.

"Ehh, yeah, Luke Duke actually," Luke responded, shaking the woman's hand, only to be drawn in a desperate hug by the woman in front of him.

"Ow thank you! Thank you so much for finding my daughter," she cried, "We've been looking for her for days now, I was so worried!"

"That's okay ma'am, it's what anybody would do," Luke responded, feeling a little overwhelmed by the gratitude of the woman.

He also felt a little shame, seeing as he probably had people looking for him too by now. If they still wanted him though…

Pulling back from the woman, Luke turned away as tears suddenly filled his eyes.

"What's wrong mister Lukas?" Jenny asked as she stood next to him.

Wiping his eye with one hand, Luke looked down at the happy little girl standing next to him. She looked positively glowing, a little angel…

"It's nothing… It's just, I miss my family… But I can't go back, cause they won't wanna know the new me, see, I'm not really the same anymore…"

Luke was shocked at his own words. Why would he tell something like that to a girl he had just met, with her mom standing so close to them?

Putting her hand on his lower arm, Jenny looked wiser than the six years she probably was.

"But you've helped me. Who wouldn't want to know you, yur the sweetest person I ever knew! I think yur just as nice as my daddy was… So if yur family don't wanna know ya, you can just stay here and be my new daddy…" she ended, happy with the solution she had offered him.

Smiling a little through teary eyes, Luke was amazed at the wonder of this little girl.

"That's real nice of ya Jenny, but I can't do that…" Luke stated, looking at her mother apologetically. She just stood there watching the scene in front of them with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said, "But you've served, haven't ya?"

Luke nodded slowly, his crew cut and thin appearance had probably tipped her off.

Jenny looked at her mom, "He was in the marines, just like daddy, he told me!"

Seeing the grief flash through her eyes, Luke wanted to steer the conversation in another direction, but Jenny's mom already spoke.

"I thought so… You have the same look on yur face that Jim had when he got home after two years of war…" she paused, swallowing thickly before continuing, "It took him three months to start talking to me. When I was so happy he came back to me, he only remembered his fellow soldiers, and the things he lost in the war. An' even though he was back, it was like he wasn't even here…"

Luke wiped at his eyes, the truth hitting home real hard, since he recognized himself in her description.

"How did he change back to himself?" Luke asked, wanting an answer from the one person who could understand how he felt right now.

"He didn't…" she said, seeing his shock at her words she continued hurriedly, "he just learned to live with it. He never became the person he used to be before he left, but he became even better," she sniffed softly, "He knew how he had to cherish the moments he had with his family, and to enjoy the things while he still could. So when he was drafted again, we all knew that he was strong enough to take it. We didn't count on him not coming back…" she ended, wiping away a stray tear.

Putting a hand on her shoulder, Luke didn't know what to say. What she had said had hit him hard, and somehow it struck something deep within him.

"Thank you," was all he could say right now, seeing how his vocal cords seemed to be closed off with tears.

"So you'll do it?" a tiny voice came from somewhere below him, "You'll be my new daddy?"

Looking at the hopeful eyes of little Jenny, Luke felt a little guilty for thinking of himself, seeing how Jenny had obviously lost her dad not to long ago. Scooping the little girl up in his arms, he looked into her deep blue eyes.

"I can't be yur daddy sugar, you only get one daddy, and I think you already had a great one," he said softly.

Seeing her blue eyes fill up with tears, he quickly continued, "But tell ya what, I can be yur uncle. So we can do fun things and stuff, what do ya think?"

Jenny didn't know how fast to nod, so she only threw herself at him, almost squeezing the life out of him.

"I guess that's a yes," Jenny's mom stated with a grin on her face.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

An hour, nice dry clothes, and a cup of coffee later, Luke was hugging the two women he had just gotten to know goodbye.

"Just remember Lukas, enjoy the time you have with yur family, ya never know when it's gonna end…" Lily said to the man who had saved her daughter only a day ago.

Hugging the frail blonde woman tightly, Luke nodded in her fresh smelling hair, envying her strength in such a hard time.

"Thank you Lily," he murmured, " I wouldn't know what ta do if it wasn't for you and yur little girl…"

Leaning back, he noticed her tearful eyes as she looked over the picture of her fallen husband. Tilting her head so she looked him in the eyes, Luke continued.

"I'm sure Jim had a little to do with this too…"

Lily nodded as Jenny came bounding into the room, clutching a little chain in her small hands.

"Mister Lukas!" she called out, almost bumping into Luke with the speed she was going. Instead, he caught her and swung her high up in the air, where she landed in the crook of his arm.

"What's all the ruckus about sugar?" Luke asked lightly, lighter than he had felt in days, weeks.

"I got ya a little gift," she said, pushing the little chain with a small silver snow-crystal dangling on it, in his calloused hands.

"Well what's this?" Luke asked, seeing the knowing look on Lily's face as her daughter gave away one of her most precious things.

"It's a good luck charm… My daddy gave it ta me when he got back from war the first time. He said it would always give me hope when things looked bad… I used it when my daddy died, but I think you could use it now…" she said shyly.

Looking down at the little girl, Luke held the little chain tightly in his hand, amazed at the thoughtfulness of this little girl.

"Thanks Jenny, but I don't got nothing for you…" he said.

"That's okay, ya saved me ánd gave me my mom back, that's the greatest Christmas gift I ever had!"

"Thanks sweetie," Luke said, hugging the little girl as hard as he could, knowing he had made a friend for life this Christmas-day.

Christmas-day!

Looking up suddenly, he slowly put Jenny down, the little chain safely tucked away in his pocket, he stood straight.

"I'm sorry, but I really gotta go now, my family is probably worried sick…"

"You go on now," Lily told him, "An' you remind yur family of the gift they get this Christmas…" she ended, picking Jenny up as they stood at the old door of their little house.

"I'll come back to see y'all this week, bye!" Luke called as he quickly made his way to the path leading to the main road.

"Bye mister Lukas!" Jenny called, and she waved until he was no longer in sight.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

_Duke-farm_

"It sure don't feel like Christmas," Bo Duke sulked once again, like he did so often these days.

Putting his hand on his nephew's shoulder, Jesse sighed softly. The lights in the tree, of the gifts lying beneath it, couldn't lift his spirits either. Three people were sitting in the living-room, just like the four years before, but they had never missed their fourth one like they did today.

"I'm gonna check on Maudine, she deserves a little Christmas breakfast too," Jesse said as he slowly made his way to the back door.

Just as he was about to open it, a mop of dark curls came into his vision. He stepped away slowly, a small smile on his face as he prepared his welcome…

Luke Duke slowly opened the door, hoping against better wishes that he could slip in unnoticed.

The first words he heard however, proved to him that that was out of the question.

"Well a Merry Christmas to you too…" the gruff voice of his uncle met him when he put one foot inside.

Looking up with shame-filled eyes, and a new sort of life glistening deep within, Luke did the only thing he could think of. He stepped into his uncles arms, and hugged the man for dear life.

"I'm so sorry uncle Jesse," the muffled voice came from somewhere in his neck, and Jesse decided at that moment, that he would forget his anger at his eldest and just be glad that he was with them.

Patting his now sagging shoulders, Jesse just whispered unintelligible things in his ear, just like he did when he was little.

All of a sudden, two extra pairs of arms were being draped around them, and a Duke hug was born…

"You really back now?" Bo's voice came from somewhere behind Jesse's back.

"Yeah, I think I am," Luke's sounded somehow relieved from the other side.

"Well, then it really is a Merry Christmas!" Daisy cheered from someplace at Jesse's left side.

"It sure is…" Jesse agreed, just relaxing in the middle of this Duke Christmas-tangle of limbs.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

_Later that Christmas-day_

After their joyful Christmas-meal, Luke excused himself, and went outside to sit on the front-porch. Halfway however, he asked Bo to join him, unknowingly being the cause of three sighs in the kitchen.

When Jesse and Daisy were done with cleaning, they all joined the two boys outside as they sat in comfortable silence.

"Hey Luke," Bo began, breaking the silence to ask the one question, burning on his lips.

"Yeah?" Luke responded, ready to answer anything Bo would ask. He braced himself mentally for questions about these last few months, but the question coming from Bo's mouth, had nothing to do with that.

"Where were ya these two days?"

Puling the little chain from his pocked Luke started the tale from when he fell into the cold creek until the moment he said goodbye to Lily and Jenny.

"I never knew someone lived in that little house," Jesse thought out loud, "As far as I know, it's been empty for years now."

"Well Lily said they had been living there for at least four years," Luke responded.

"What did ya say their names was again?" Jesse asked, intrigued by the lovely little family Luke had told about.

"Jennifer and Lily Mills," Luke said, now a little worried about his uncle's far away look.

"No, that can't be…" Jesse spoke after five minutes, his brow furrowed as he looked into the distance while Bo, Daisy and Luke all waited for him to continue.

"What's wrong uncle Jesse?" Daisy asked, worry lacing her voice.

Turning towards Luke, Jesse looked into his deep blue eyes.

"You said Jenny was blond with blue eyes, right?"

Luke nodded.

"Well, about fifty years ago, when I was just a little tike, there was this family livin' in the woods. A man and woman with a little girl. The husband had been killed in World war I, and the entire town kinda took care of the two. Then one day, the little girl, Jenny, she disappeared," he paused for a second, seeing Luke's eyes widen.

"They searched for her for days, my father spent every free minute in the woods helping the search-party," Jesse continued, only to be interrupted by Luke.

"But they found her right?" he almost demanded.

Jesse nodded sadly.

"Yeah, they found her in a deep ditch, just like you did, only, she was already gone. The cold had gotten to her, an' she had died there…"

Shaking his head, Luke didn't want to believe it.

"But that's impossible," Bo came to his aid, "Luke saw them, he talked to em, he even got a little chain," he emphasized this by touching the little chain Luke still held tightly.

"I know, but still, it's true," Jesse spoke.

Grasping the necklace with the silver snow-flake tightly, Luke felt a calm come over him at those words, and somewhere in the distance he could hear Jenny's voice.

'Are you an angel?'

Looking up so he could overlook the Duke property leading into the woods around them, he could swear he saw a flash of blonde hair behind a tree, as soft giggling reached his ears.

'Bye mister Lukas…'

Putting the necklace in his pocket safely, Luke turned towards his family, the family he had almost abandoned in his own flee for sanity.

Deep inside, he knew there were things he needed to talk about, but right now, it was Christmas, and he had gotten his Christmas-miracle.

He was at home, the place where he grew up and the place where he would heal again. He would probably never be the boy he was four years ago, but he would try to be even better…

"Let's go inside, seeing as Bo can't wait to open the present I got him…" Luke said, feeling lighter than he had in weeks.

"Do not!" Bo joined in, glad to see a little bit of his old cousin back.

As Daisy giggled, Bo hung his head.

"Okay, maybe a little," he admitted, hurrying inside, only to be followed by three very happy Dukes…

Jesse Duke stopped at the door, looking at the spot Luke had been staring at only minutes ago.

"Thanks for our own Christmas miracle," he murmured before he went inside where the warmth and joyful voices surrounded him.

END


End file.
